Instead of eating processed snacks you pluck off the deli shelf, take some time to put together your own dessert or canapé. Preparing your own snacks can control calories, curb your appetite, and also reward you with numerous health and beauty benefits.
1.
Calories: 80
Beauty Benefits: White beans have folate, which aids in cell turnover to keep your skin looking younger. It also helps your hair stay healthy.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Preparation: In a food processor, combine garlic and cannellini beans with lemon juice and process until smooth. Mix in oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and process until blended. Add 3 tablespoons cilantro and pulse until mixed. Place in bowl and garnish with cilantro.
2.
Calories: About 90 per serving, or 1/4 cup
Beauty Benefit: Avocadoes also have folate, which keeps skin looking younger and hair fuller. This snack also contains tomatoes that have Vitamin E, a nutrient that enhances scalp circulation, promotes healthy hair growth and can prevent hair loss.
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons minced fire-roasted or fresh jalapeño chilies
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups seeded, diced tomatoes
Preparation: Mash avocados with a fork or potato masher in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients except for tomatoes; mix well. Stir in tomatoes; transfer to serving bowl and serve.
3.
Calories: 46
Beauty Benefits: Chocolate with 70 percent or more cocoa content helps relieve stress and helps your skin retain moisture. Raspberries and blueberries contain antioxidants that protect your skin from UV damage.
Ingredients:
- 2 small ripe peaches, sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ cup (1 ounce) fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup (1 ounce) fresh blueberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons mini chocolate chips (70% or greater chocolate)
Preparation: Combine sliced peaches with cinnamon and nutmeg; transfer to two serving plates. Top peaches with raspberries, blueberries, and chocolate chips.
4.
Calories: 50 calories
Beauty Benefits: Flaxseed has omega-3s, which help to lower inflammation and prevent wrinkles and acne from the inside out.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups loosely packed parsley
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 drained anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation: Combine all ingredients, in a food processor. Process on pulse mode intermittently until coarse paste forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Label, date, and refrigerate. Our choice for healthy chips: Food Should Taste Good All Natural Chips Lime.
5.
Chocolate Banana Creamers
Calories: 74 calories
Beauty Benefits: Bananas have Vitamin B6 which helps to promote healthy skin. It is proven to help ease eczema and dermatitis.
Ingredients:
- 1 large (8-inch) ripe banana
- 16 small wooden skewers (preferably two-prong design)
- 3 ounces 72% dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or ¾ cup of dark chocolate chips
Preparation: Peel the banana and cut it crosswise into 16 slices; skewer each slice and place it on a waxed-paper-lined plate. Freeze for at least 1 hour Place the chocolate in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat; stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Tip the saucepan to one side and dip each frozen banana slice in the chocolate so that it is completely covered. Scrape the bottom of the banana slice on the edge of the saucepan, letting the excess chocolate flow back into the saucepan. Place the chocolate-dipped banana slices back onto the waxed-paper-lined plate and freeze for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Note: This recipe requires time to freeze, but the delayed gratification is well worth the wait!
6.
Tofu Mousse
Calories: 79 calories
Beauty Benefits: Bananas have Vitamin B6 which helps promote skin health. It may also help ease eczema and dermatitis.
Tofu has calcium which helps strengthens bones, which helps ward off the aging bone disease, Osteoporosis, and begets better posture. Tofu also has protein, which helps to repair the skin and regulate blood sugar levels. This in turn helps prevent acne and ward off wrinkles.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces extra firm tofu
- 2 medium bananas
- Grated zest (the outermost orange-color peel) from one orange
- Juice from one orange
- 2 ounces baking chocolate
- 2 ounces cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
Preparation: Place the tofu in a food processor; process until creamy. Add the bananas, orange zest, and juice and process until smooth. Melt the chocolate according to the package directions. Add the chocolate and remaining ingredients to the banana mixture; process until smooth. Transfer the contents of the food processor to individual dishes or a large bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
7.
Chia Salsa Cruda (pair with lettuce or whole wheat crostini)
Calories: 50 calories
Beauty Benefits: Tomatoes have lycopene, which helps the skin protect itself against UV damage. Chia seeds are a vegetarian source for omega 3, which helps keep skin, hair and nails young and healthy.
Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon chia seeds
- 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes, drained, reserving any liquid
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fig vinegar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation: Combine chia seeds and tomato liquid in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest. Whisk in vinegars. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and tomato liquid—chia seed mixture; mix well and let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve over lettuce or with whole wheat crostini.
8.
Calories: 100 calories
Beauty Benefits: Almonds have Vitamin E, which helps enhance scalp circulation. Vitamin E also promotes healthy growth and may help prevent hair loss.
Almonds also have Magnesium, which helps the body. A natural statin, Magnesium bolsters and creates enzyme that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides and raises good cholesterol (HDL). It is also key to the production of energy, produces energy, which gives you the bounce to exercise.
9.
Calories: 62 calories
Beauty Benefits: Monounsaturated fat oils such as olive oil helps to keep you fuller, longer, along with the fiber in the popcorn, which will help you regulate your weight.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup popcorn kernels
- A monounsaturated fat oil (such as olive oil)
- Garlic salt or cinnamon
Preparation: Place popcorn in a 2 ½-quart microwave-safe container; cover and cook at high power 4 to 5 minutes, or until popcorn is popped but not scorched. If the microwave oven does not have a rotating turntable, use oven mitts to grasp and shake the covered container after 3 minutes of cooking. Immediately pour the popcorn onto a baking sheet and coat with oil. To further flavor the popcorn, immediately sprinkle on your favorite seasoning blend such as garlic salt or cinnamon.
10.
Calories: 80 calories
Beauty Benefits: Canola oil has omega 3, which can be tied to great skin and hair. Garlic encourages blood flow for great skin.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola or extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch chunks
Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine oil, garlic, and seasonings; mix well. Add squash; toss until well coated. Spread in a single layer in a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan. Bake 15 minutes; toss well. Continue baking 15 minutes, or until squash is tender.
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